Second Chance at Love
by Gilmore.Prior.Sawyer
Summary: What if Peyton and Lucas never got back together? What if Peyton and Julian stayed together in L.A.? Well that's how this story goes. Peyton and Julian are together, but knowing Peyton, there will still be drama to overcome. NOT a Leyton fanfic, Summary sucks, I know. I need to work on them. (Peyton & Julian) (Brooke and Lucas) (Haley and Nathan)
1. Chapter 1

I am new to FanFiction and this Is my first story I have ever written or posted on any website. I have always had ideas in my head about writing stories, but this is the first time I am putting "pen to paper", or in this case "fingers to keyboard", and actually writing out one of those ideas. I will try to keep this introduction as short as possible, I just want to let you know what kind of writer I am. I like many shows, so if this first story goes well, I will probably right another story about something from a different show. All of my ideas or stories are not just about One Tree Hill. I love The Gilmore Girls, Arrow, Gossip Girl, When Calls the Heart, and a bunch of other shows or movies that I would also consider writing stories from if I think of an idea that you might like to read. With all of that being said, if you are still reading this, let's move on to this story.

I had this idea after I watched the episode when it flashed back to where Peyton went to Julian's party with him. I don't know, I guess I kind of liked them together. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good Leyton scene just as much as the next person, but something about Julian's flashback relationship with Peyton made me want to explore it further. Who knows, maybe I will turn this into a series and Lucas and Peyton will be endgame. But, for this one story, Julian gets the girl. If you are not a fan of Julian being with Peyton, then you will hate this story. If you are a Leyton shipper, but still thought Julian and Peyton were kind of cute together, then stick around, you might enjoy it. Now, with all of that being said, I do not know who I am going to write Lucas or Brooke with. If any of you have any ideas or preferences, let me know and I will consider them. I was thinking about Chase for Brooke because I thought they were sweet in the high school episodes. But for Lucas, I have no idea. It's not that I didn't like Lindsey in the show, she just didn't live up to being one of Lucas' girlfriends like Brooke or Peyton. Maybe that's a good reason to keep Lucas with her though. Any thoughts about it, please leave a review and let me know. Chances are you won't be reading about Lucas' significant other for at least 2 or 3 chapters anyway. I want to spend the beginning chapters building up Julian and Peyton's relationship together. Oh, and Julian is still a movie producer in this story, he's just not producing "The Ravens."

LASTLY, I know, it seems like I'm never going to get to the actual story, but I promise it's coming. I just wanted to say that I would love for you to review. Even if it's a negative review, maybe I can learn from it and become a better writer. Or maybe it will just mean I am not cut out to write fics, and that is okay too. If I suck at it, at least there will be someone honest enough to tell me, instead of letting me continue to suck and not say anything about it. Disclaimer then story time!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, it's characters, or anything the writers have written in the show. I am just a huge fan who loved watching it when it was on tv, and now on Netflix. The only thing I own is the idea for this current story that is about to begin.

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Chapter 1

It was 7 o'clock in the evening and he had still not shown up at the restaurant. She knew that he was working on his new movie deal and trying to find the perfect director and cast, but she was still ticked off with him. He could have at least called or texted and told her he was going to be late, but did he have the common courtesy to do that? Of course not. He would rather let her sit, alone, at a restaurant for an hour and show up when he chose to make an appearance. Sighing to herself, Peyton shook her head as a small smile gracing her lips. As much as she wanted to be mad at him, and she still was a little, she could never stay mad. The feeling that she got every time he talked about his day, surpassed the madness she held towards him. That same feeling was the one that she felt when he told her the movie had been given the green light by the "big man" also known as his father. Pride. She was so proud of him for everything that he had accomplished. She always knew he could do it, but seeing him believe in himself like she did, was a priceless experience. When Peyton moved out to L.A. right after graduation, she never would have imagined she'd be dating a producer. She was so madly in love with Lucas at that time, and she never even dreamed of a time where there would be anyone other than him. Sometimes the thought of her high school love still saddens her. After all, it was her fault that their relationship ended. She never thought she would ever be happy with a man again, but then she met Julian and that all started to change. Julian. Just his name brings a smile to Peyton's face. How a man with so much talent and potential would ever go for a girl like her was still a mystery, but she chose not to think on it too hard. The opening of a door broke her out of her thoughts as she looked up at the man who had just entered the restaurant. He wore an apologetic look on his face as he approached the table where she was sitting. Her soft laugh escaped her lips as she observed him, standing somewhat how a child who had just been in trouble would stand. He had that sad puppy dog look and Peyton could never stay mad at him when he looked at her like that. Smiling sweetly up at him, she looked down at her cell phone for the time, then brought her eyes back to meet his. "You sir, are over an hour late." she said, shaking her head. "Should I be worried that you're seeing some huge superstar behind my back?" Peyton teased with a smile still on her face.

Julian moved over to where Peyton was sitting, and leaned down to press a quick kiss on her lips. He sat down in the empty seat across from her and snorted softly as he shook his head. "No, you have nothing to worry about there, I already have my superstar." He said with a wink that caused her to blush. His face turned serious as he reached across the table to take her hand in his. "I am truly sorry, Peyton, I had no idea the auditions were going to go that late. Just one more turned in to about listening to a dozen more auditions. Do you know how hard it is to find good actors? Even in L.A. It's crazy how many nut jobs there are in this city. I mean, how can someone think that just because they have a voice they automatically can act? Again, I am so sorry, babe. I promise it won't happen again." He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and retrieving his hand back to his side. Letting out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, he smiled brightly across the table at her. "By the way," he started, "you look absolutely beautiful tonight."

Peyton blushed again as she looked over at her boyfriend and grinned. "You clean up pretty nice yourself Mr. producer." She glanced over his appearance and shook her head as she spoke in mock amazement. "Especially for someone who came from hours of what sounds like absolute torture."

Julian chuckled a little at her comment and replied, "Why thank you. I had a hot date that I was already late for, so I thought I'd better at least try to make myself look presentable." He waved down a waiter and put in their order before turning back to Peyton. "So," he said, "I know I don't have to have a reason to take you out for an evening, but this time I actually do."

Peyton raised her eyebrows, surprised by what his 'reason' could be. She gasped slightly and held one of her hands over her mouth to fake shock before guessing. "You got me a pony didn't you? You know I always wanted a pony, but daddy said that it was too much work." She sighed for dramatic effect as she shook her head, pretending to be sad.

Julian chuckled and shook his head. "No," he said, "I happen to agree with your 'daddy', ponies require way too much work." He cleared his throat and nervously played with his fingers in his lap. Taking a deep breath, he spoke the words in a rush, "Move in with me."

Peyton nearly spit out her drink. He didn't say what she thought he said… he couldn't of have, it was way too soon, too fast. As she regained some sort of composure, Peyton narrowed her eyes as she studied him carefully. He was actually serious… After swallowing roughly, the remaining drink, she laughed nervously. "Umm, what are you talking about?" She asked with a confused expression.

Seeing her reaction, Julian faltered, but just slightly. He had prepared an argument for this scenario, should it actually happen. He knew Peyton, and he knew that she was thinking it was too soon, but he was going to disagree. He reached out and held both her hands on the table and explained, "Peyton, we've been dating now for over a year. I know you want to go slow because of your past relationship, but we practically live together now. You're always over at my place when you're not working, and you even have over a weeks' worth of clothes in my closet. Why not make it official and just move in completely?"

Peyton was stunned. The wheels in her head were turning a mile a minute as she tried to come up with a reasonable argument. She wasn't ready to take that next step. Was she? She glanced everywhere but his face as she tried to think this through. She never thought that she would feel anything towards anyone after Lucas, but she had. She never thought that she could love someone other than Lucas, but once again Julian proved her wrong. Maybe she was making moving in together such a big deal because a part of her was still living in the past. Her life with Lucas had meant everything to her, and the day it stopped meaning that was the day she started to become more scared than ever. She loved Julian, and she wasn't with him out of some kind of rebound from Lucas. But was she ready to be all in, in their relationship? The pressure felt on her hands snapped her out of her thoughts as she stared across the table at Julian, who was waiting anxiously for her answer. In that moment, staring at the man she loved, her second chance, her mind was made up. She slowly started to smile as she asked, "Can we get a puppy?"

Relief flooded through Julian as he heard her words. The amount of time she was taking to make up her mind had him worried she was going to say no. Letting out the breath he had been holding, he smiled back before he replied, "Baby, I'll get you that pony you asked your dad for if it means you'll move in with me."

Peyton laughed happily and shook her head. "No," she said, "I think a puppy will suffice. But I'll definitely let you know if I change my mind about the pony."

What Julian was feeling at that moment was incomparable to any other moment in his life. Not only had he been lucky enough to snag a woman like Peyton Sawyer, but now, he was going to live with this woman whom he loved with all of his being. Happiness didn't seem like a strong enough word, maybe joy would be better to use to describe the feeling inside him. Standing up, he walked over to Peyton's side and leaned down to press a slow kiss on her lips.

Peyton smiled, feeling Julian's lips touch hers, before she stood up and kissed him back. With her arms wrapped around his neck, she drew back slightly, so she could gaze into his eyes. Seeing the happiness and love in his eyes made her heart beat faster. The crowded restaurant was forgotten as they stood wrapped in each other's arms. She had given him the last thing that she was holding onto and now she wasn't looking back. She was looking forward to her future. Their future.

Resting his forehead against hers, Julian whispered softly as his eyes shone with happiness, "Let's go home."

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 **A/N –** So, what did you think? Should I continue the story, bringing everyone from Tree Hill into the mix, or should I leave it as a one shot? Review and let me know what you think J


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** – Hey ya'll, it's me again. I've decided to continue with this story. In this chapter, Peyton moves her things in to Julian's place. This chapter is a little longer than the first, and it ends in a special surprise for Peyton. I hope ya'll enjoy it! Leave me reviews and tell me what you think! I'm still new at this so hopefully as I continue to write more chapters I'll improve.

 **Disclaimer –** I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters, only my own ideas and made up characters.

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 _At Peyton's apartment_

It just turned 1 o'clock in the afternoon and they still hadn't packed all of Peyton's things in boxes. Of course, that could have been because of all their "breaks" they had taken throughout the morning. Even with all of their distractions, Julian still couldn't believe that Peyton had so much stuff left to pack. How much stuff could one person need anyway? He would never complain about this to Peyton though. The one time he had said something about all her albums, she had simply reminded him of all his haircare and cologne that she claimed was too much for one person to have. So no, he wasn't about to walk into that argument again.

Glancing around the tiny bedroom, Julian noticed that the person he was thinking about wasn't even in the room anymore. Had he really been that stuck inside his own head that he didn't notice her leave? Standing up from where he was seated on her bed, he wandered out of the nearly empty bedroom and into the living area where he saw Peyton sitting in the middle of the floor. He stood leaning against the doorway, watching in amusement, as she seemed to be cramming something into one of her packing boxes.

Peyton had been trying for the past fifteen minutes to make the last of her things fit inside one single box. It was the last box she had, so it had to fit. If she could just pack it tight enough for the lid to close, then she'd be all set. Just when she thought she had it shut, the lids popped open again. Letting out a frustrated groan, Peyton threw one of her couch pillows against the wall. The laughter she heard from behind her made her turn around and stare at the man leaning against the wall. Glaring at Julian, she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted like a five-year-old would. "Don't laugh at me." She grumbled and stood up, dragging her feet, walking until she stood in front of him.

Julian placed his hands on Peyton's shoulders and squeezed gently. He smiled softly and leaned down until his forehead was resting against hers. Something was going on in that pretty head of hers and he was going to find out what that was. "Hey," he said softly, "what's going on? You're not the type of person to let packing frustrate you like this."

Peyton sighed deeply and wrapped her arms around Julian's neck. She bit her lip nervously and looked up at him, silently debating whether to tell him what was on her mind. Seeing his concerned look, she blew out the breath she was holding and began. "Fine, I'll tell you, but please don't get mad." She sighed again before continuing, "I'm worried… I mean, what if we can't live together? What if we find out that we're completely incompatible? Haven't you ever read those articles about moving in together? For some couples, it ends in a complete nightmare! I just don't want anything to happen to us because we decided to live together."

Julian pursed his lips and nodded his head after she finished telling him her fears. She was just so adorable when she went on her little rants. He had to fight back a chuckle hearing her talk about the 'nightmares' of moving in together. He grinned and placed a soft kiss to her lips. Sighing, he shook his head lightly. "Peyton," he said, "I love you, and nothing is going to change that. No crazy bed heads, bad morning breath, moody girl attitudes, or anything else that either one of us might have or do, is going to change that."

He was right, she knew he was right, she just needed him to reassure her she guessed. She was moving in with a man she loved and in return loved her just as much, if not more. What could happen that would change that? Peyton cracked a small smile and raised her eyebrow as she looked up at him with an amused expression on her face. "By 'moody girl attitudes', you mean you, right?" she said with a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Julian let out a short laugh. "Oh, yes," he said, "of course I mean me. Because I was the one who freaked out when she heard that her favorite Hollywood couple had broken up. Oh! Or the time when I panicked because I thought I bumped into Will Smith and thought he was going to sue me for disturbing him."

Peyton's mouth dropped open as she let out a sharp gasp before she smacked his chest. "Hmph!" she grunted, "Well at least I'm not the one who spends three hours on his hair before he can leave. Even if it's just to go five steps to get the mail!"

Hearing her accusation made Julian's eyes grow wide with shock. "I do not spend three hours on my hair!" he protested passionately, "It's more like two and a half." He grinned cheekily and pressed his lips to hers in a slow kiss.

Allowing herself a minute to kiss him back, Peyton tightened her arms around Julian's neck and deepened the kiss. He could be insufferable at times, but she loved all the ways he made up to her for it. Pulling back quickly, she swatted at his chest again with a pout on her face. "Stop doing that! We need to finish packing!" She yelled, but the look in her eyes told him that she didn't regret his actions.

Julian chuckled and spread his arms out wide, gesturing to the empty living room full of nothing but boxes, in front of him. "Babe, look around," he instructed, "the only thing that isn't in a box are your couch pillows, and we don't need to put them in boxes, we'll just throw them in the front seats with us."

Peyton glanced around slowly, studying her apartment for what was going to be the last time. A part of her was going to miss the independent feeling she had by living alone, but a larger part of her was excited to venture out on this new, uncharted territory with Julian. She grinned happily and grabbed Julian's hand, lacing her fingers through his. "Alright," she said firmly as she looked up at him, "let's load the rest of the boxes into the moving truck and go back home."

Julian gave Peyton's hand a squeeze before he let go and started to carry the remaining boxes out into the moving truck.

* * *

After they had moved all of Peyton's boxes over to Julian's place, it was nearly 5 o'clock, and they were too exhausted to cook anything for dinner. Julián had decided to go out and get takeout, while Peyton stayed home and started to unpack some of her stuff. She was only going to unpack the boxes that contained her most needed items, such as, her clothes and toiletries. She was too tired to unpack everything tonight, she'd have Julian help her tomorrow. Sitting down with one of the open boxes by her side, she pulled out the first thing that was on top. It was a photo of her and her best friend Brooke Davis. The photo was taken at one of their high school basketball games. Brooke and Peyton were in their cheerleading outfits, smiling as if they didn't have a care in the world. A feeling a sadness started to creep inside Peyton's heart as she continued to stare at the photo. It had been months since Peyton had talked to her best friend, and she missed her. Pulling her phone out of her pocket she sent Brooke a short text just to tell her how much she loved her and missed her.

Almost an hour later the apartment door opened and Julian walked inside holding takeout bags from one of the best Chinese restaurants in L.A. "Honey, I'm home!" He called out merrily, as he placed the bags on the small kitchen table. Hearing laughter, he turned and saw Peyton standing in their kitchen's doorway. His smile grew at that thought. This place wasn't just his anymore, it was 'theirs'.

Peyton laughed once more as she looked over to see Julian's faraway look. Sometimes it was like he was in another world, with that goofy looking smile on his face. She didn't mind though, she loved seeing him so happy and carefree. Walking over to him, she placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek softly. "How long have you been waiting to use that line?" She asked him in amusement.

Chuckling lightly, Julian wrapped his arm around Peyton's shoulders and drew her closer so that her head was resting against his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and smiled. "That is one secret I will never tell." He told her as he reluctantly let her go so that he could pull out the Chinese containers and place them on the table. "Now," he said as he clapped his hands once and turned to look at her. "I have brought you the dinner of champions. We have eggrolls, we have white rice, we have fried rice, we have beef Lo Mein, annnd what is a proper Chinese meal without Sesame chicken?" He had a smug looking grin on his face as he waited for her reaction.

Peyton surveyed the containers of Chinese food as he told her what he had bought. Frowning slightly, she held her hands on her hips and looked over at Julian, a look on her face that said she wasn't, through the roof, impressed with his choices. She cocked her head to the side and spoke slowly, "You forgot the most important item that only Chinese restaurants carry in their stores." Seeing his confused expression, Peyton let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands up in the air before complaining. "You forgot the fortune cookies, Julian. Don't you know, that the fortune cookie is what makes going to the Chinese restaurants so special! You just cheated me out of getting an amazing fortune! Now some other person out there is going to get, what should have been my fortune!" Sighing in frustration, she slumped down into one of the kitchen chairs with a pouting look on her face.

Julian had to bite his lip through her whole speech just to keep from bursting out in laughter at her behavior. Some things Peyton Sawyer just took so seriously, and damn be the person who tried to tell her that is wasn't as important as she was making it to be. This was among the many reasons why Julian loved her though. He forced himself to keep a straight face as he knelt down on his knees in front of her. Pulling something out from behind his back, he held up a fortune cookie still wrapped in its plastic sealed bag. "You mean the fortune cookies that kind of look like this?" He asked her with a teasing smirk on his face.

Peyton's eyes flew up from the cookie to meet his eyes as he knelt in front of her. Damn him, she thought to herself. She narrowed her eyes and snatched the cookie out of his hand before speaking, "You little brat. How dare you make me believe you forgot the fortune cookies. You know how important these are to me." She shook her head lightly and tore into the plastic around the cookie. Pulling the two pieces of the cookie apart, she pulled out the white piece of paper that held her fortune on it. She looked away from the paper to look into Julian's eyes once more before reading the fortune. "This fortune could hold the words to make or break my future on them." She said with all seriousness before she took a deep breath and looked back down at the paper. "Here we go," she said as she read the fortune out loud, " _Every exit is an entrance to new experiences."_

Julian raised an eyebrow and studied Peyton's face, before daring to ask the question. "Okay, so how is that going to make or break your future? What does that even mean? Exits and entrances?"

Peyton rolled her eyes and placed both of her hands on Julian's cheeks. "Guys are so clueless sometimes." She said in a light tone before standing up and grabbing the plates and silverware. As she placed them down on the table she spoke again, "Leaving my apartment behind today was an 'exit' in my life, and the entrance to 'new experiences' is coming to live with you here. That's pretty future altering if you ask me."

Julian stood up slowly as he thought more about what she had said. He still didn't believe in all those fortunes like she did, but maybe he could agree with this one. Her coming to live here would definitely be a new experience for the both of them, but he believed it was going to be a good one. He smiled over at Peyton and watched lovingly, as she divided the food onto the two plates. Walking over to where she stood, he pulled her away from the table and kissed her softly, holding his hands on her waist. "How did I get so lucky with you?" He asked, the amazement evident in his voice.

Peyton smiled lovingly up at Julian as she slid her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "Well," she started, "you did take me to that amazing party when we first, officially, met." She laughed softly along with him and shook her head. "But no," she said again, "you are the sweetest guy on the planet and anyone would be lucky to have you. Just like I am."

Julian sighed in perfect contentment as he stared into the eyes of the woman he loved. Just as he was about to capture her lips in a kiss, he heard her stomach growl, and a chuckle escaped his mouth. He removed his hands from her waist and reached for her hand as he pulled her back over to the table of food. "Come on," he said, "my baby needs food."

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After they had finished off the Chinese takeout, the couple laid comfortably on the couch in the living room. Julian's fingers were playing with Peyton's hair, and Peyton's eyes were closed peaceably as she hummed her approval. The ringing of a cell phone broke them both out of the comfortable silence, and Peyton stretched out to reach her phone on the coffee table. "Hello." she said after she had hit the answer button, not checking to see who had called her.

Hearing her voice again caused so many memories to flood through his mind. Memories that happened a different lifetime ago. God, it had been years since he, or anyone really, had seen her. Shaking his head to clear away those thoughts, her voice brought him back to this lifetime and he quickly replied before she hung up on him. "Peyton?"

Peyton quickly stood up from the couch, causing Julian to give her a puzzled look, but she ignored him. She hadn't heard that voice in years. Why had he called her? Why now, after all these years? She ran her fingers through her hair and began to pace back and forth until she let out his name in a shaky voice. "L-Lucas?..."

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 **A/N –** Yay, my first cliffhanger! I'm so sorry, but I couldn't resist it! What do you think Lucas wants? Is something wrong in Tree Hill? I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Now, for those of you who may be concerned, this is not a Leyton fic, so I promise they will not be getting together in this story. You will find out why he called her though, in the next chapter. And there may or may not be an appearance from another one of our favorite Tree Hill residents. (: Review and let me know who you think it will be. Also, please let me know how I am doing so far. I'm always open to trying new things to improve my writing. Thanks again for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N –** Back with another chapter! Enjoy it while it lasts, because after Christmas I don't know how much I'll be updating. My plan, once I start work again, is to post a new chapter at least once a week, maybe twice if I have time on the weekends. I just wanted to thank everyone who reads this story and leaves reviews. You are amazing and I appreciate your feedback, whether it be positive or negative. With all of that being said, let's move onto the story. Last chapter we left Peyton on the phone with Lucas. Now let's see what he had to say.

 **Disclaimer –** Once again, I own nothing except for the idea and any made up characters.

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 _The phone call_

"Lucas?" Peyton said once more, this time with more surety in her voice. Her eyes met Julian's expectant eyes, and she shrugged her shoulders, letting him know that she had no idea why her ex-boyfriend was calling. She hadn't had any contact with him in nearly three years, and she certainly didn't expect to be hearing from him now. Walking back over to the couch, she sat down next to Julian and reached for his hand as she waited for Lucas to talk.

Lucas took a deep breath and tried to keep the fear and nerves out of his voice as he spoke to Peyton. "Peyton," he started out slowly, trying not to let her hear the panic creep into his voice, "there's been an accident… They were going to see Nathan play in his first NBA game, and on their way, something…something happened." He let out a shaky breath as he clutched the phone tightly, trying to hold himself together.

Peyton's grip tightened on Julian's hand as she listened to Lucas' words. She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for what he was about to tell her and asked, "Who was in the accident Lucas?" She didn't even try to keep the fear and worry out of her voice, she needed to know what was going on with her friends. Who was in the car, how badly were they injured, what caused the accident, she needed to know everything.

Hearing the fear in Peyton's voice made Lucas let out a quiet, strangled sob. She loved their friends just as much as he did, and it wasn't going to be easy to tell her the news. He took a couple slow, deep breaths before he began to tell her what had happened, "Haley was driving a-and Brooke was in the passenger seat with Mouth and Jamie sitting in the back. They were on the highway, and some idiot wasn't paying attention, he started to drift over into their lane and…" He swallowed thickly and shut his eyes tight before he finished telling her what happened. "They had nowhere to go Peyton…the guy slammed into their car…the force made their car drive off the road…a-and it rolled two times before crashing in the ditch."

Peyton was on her feet and pacing frantically back and forth before Julian could reach out for her. She kept shaking her head quickly as the tears quickly streamed down her face. How could this be happening right now? She thought everything was finally going right in her life, and then this happens. She let out a painful sob and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to calm herself down. Remembering that Lucas was still on the other end, she held her phone back up to her mouth and asked, "H-how bad is it?" She held her hand on a nearby wall and braced herself for his response. Please let them all be okay, she thought. They had to be okay.

Hearing the brokenness in her voice, made Lucas hurt even more. He knew how much they all meant to her, especially Brooke. They've had their fights, sure. Some minor and others major, but in the end, he knew that they would always be there for each other. Sighing deeply, Lucas ran a hand over his face and said in a quiet voice, "It's pretty bad, Peyton. Haley and Brooke are both in surgery now, the doctors say they're in critical condition. But Mouth was the most injured out of all of them. Before they started to roll, he had covered his body around Jamie's to sort of cushion him from the crash. When the car stopped rolling, Mouth's body wasn't strapped in by a seatbelt, so he got banged up pretty bad. Other than a broken arm, and a few bruised ribs, Jamie's expected to make a full recovery. Mouth, on the other hand, was injured so badly, the doctors refused to perform surgery on him. They say the risk is too great, and they don't think he'd survive with all the damage the crash caused."

By the time Lucas had finished telling her everything that was wrong with her friends, Peyton had stopped pacing and had sunken down until she was sitting on the floor. She couldn't believe what had happened to her friends. Brooke and Haley were in critical condition, Mouth was so bad that he couldn't have surgery performed... how could this have happened to them? She let out a couple quiet sobs and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I'll be on the next plane out." She choked out, as she stood up wobbly, and walked into the bedroom to start packing.

Hearing her words, Lucas let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to beg her to come, but he was glad she had decided to be here for her friends. He knew that when Brooke did come out of surgery, she would want Peyton to be there. Brooke. Just that name brought along so many emotions for Lucas. She had been one of his epic loves in his lifetime. He shared a connection with her that he and Peyton never seemed to have. Now that Peyton was permanently living in L.A. and Brooke had moved back to Tree Hill, he didn't know where he stood with either of them. He knew Peyton had a boyfriend, Julian, he thought one of Brooke's text messages said. But he didn't know what he was to Peyton anymore. Were they even friends anymore? He wanted them to be able to be friends again. And then there was his relationship with Brooke. Was that the word for it, relationship? They had gotten close again when she moved back, but he still had no clue what they were. He sighed thinking about whatever 'connection' they had. All of a sudden, he heard Peyton yell his name, causing him to snap back into the present. How long had she been trying to get his attention? He cleared his throat and shook his head. He must have spaced out longer than he thought. "Sorry, Peyton," he apologized for his lack of attention towards her and sighed. "I was lost in my head again. I'm glad you're coming. I know Brooke will be happy to see you…when she wakes up after her surgery."

Peyton laughed lightly and shook her head. How come guys could get so easily distracted by their own thoughts? She sighed deeply as she pulled some clothes out of the dresser drawers. She should've kept in contact with her friends in Tree Hill, especially Brooke. They've been through too much together for Peyton to just throw that friendship away. Sure, she had friends in L.A., but she's never had another friend like Brooke Davis. She smiled sadly and focused on the conversation she was having with Lucas. "Thanks Lucas…" She began hesitantly, "I hope you're right. Hey, I should let you go. I have to finish packing and buy the plane ticket. I'll call you when I get my plane ticket, okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll let you know if any changes occur here." Lucas responded quickly. He should probably go check on how Mouth was doing anyway. He was glad he got to talk to her again though, it almost felt like they were becoming friends again. "Let me know when your plane will land, and I'll come pick you up."

Having just finished packing her toiletries, Peyton moved to where her laptop was on the bed, and turned it on. Nodding slowly, then remembering that Lucas couldn't see her, she responded, "Thanks Lucas, for everything. I'll call you later." She ended the call and threw her phone in her purse by the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she took the laptop in her lap and started to search for plane tickets. So absorbed in the task at home, Peyton didn't even notice that Julian had entered the room and had taken a seat on the bed beside her. It wasn't until he had cleared his throat that she realized she wasn't alone in the room. "Gah!" she exclaimed as she smacked his arm lightly, "You scared me. I thought you were still in the living room."

A frown started to appear on Julian's face as he noticed what Peyton was doing on the computer. "Plane tickets?" He asked her, raising his eyebrows in question. "Where are you going, Peyton?" He had heard bits and pieces of her conversation with Lucas, but he didn't know she was flying back to Tree Hill tonight.

Peyton nodded once as she continued to search for the earliest flight. "Yeah," she said absentmindedly, "My friends got in a really bad accident, and I need to be there for them and Lucas." She didn't know where she stood with Lucas, but she still wanted to be there and try to comfort him as a friend would. They had been friends once before, maybe this trip would cause them to be friends once again.

Julian raised an eyebrow at her last statement. He understood why she would want to be there. Brooke was her best friend after all. But what did she mean when she said she needed to be there for Lucas? The same Lucas that she was so madly in love with before she started dating him? He couldn't help the uneasy feeling that started to settle in his chest at that thought. The frown on his face deepened and he placed his hands over hers to stop them from typing. Seeing her confused expression, he said, "I don't think you should go. Now, before you go and get all mad, let me explain why." He looked down at her hands before forcing his eyes back up to her face. Admitting his feelings of jealousy wasn't easy for him, but he couldn't lose Peyton. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm not comfortable with you flying out to Tree Hill, and spending time with your ex-boyfriend by yourself." He gave her hands a squeeze, "So," he said, a soft smile appearing on his face, "I'm going with you."

Just as Peyton was about to protest, her brain registered what he had just said. He didn't say she couldn't go, he said he'd go with her. Her expression softened towards him and she rested her head against his shoulder. She knew this was going to be hard for him, but she loved him even more for it, because she knew he was doing it for her. Closing her eyes, she whispered softly, "I love you so much. Thank you, Julian."

Smiling down at her, Julian placed a kiss to the crown of her head and whispered back, "Anything for you, baby. And I love you too." He gently took the laptop from her lap and purchased two tickets for the earliest flight to Tree Hill. "Come on," he said to her, "since you're almost packed, you can help me."

Leaning up to kiss his cheek, Peyton smiled before standing up and holding out her hands. "Come on, babe. I'm an excellent packer." She stated proudly, a smile spread across her lips. "And besides," she said, "I'll help you narrow down what hair products not to take."

Julian chuckled and grabbed her hands, pulling himself up to stand in front of her. Smiling down at her, he kisses each one of her hands, before he says, "Ha, ha. You mean, help me pack EVERY hair product I own, right?" He smirks and leans down to capture her lips in a slow kiss before pulling away and walking towards the bathroom.

Frowning, Peyton turned around and crossed her arms over her chest, staring after him. "That wasn't very nice." She said as a pout started to form on her lips. Hearing his chuckle from the bathroom, she walked over to his drawers and started to pack some of his clothes in the suitcase.

* * *

Once they had hurriedly packed everything they needed, Julian drove them to the airport. With only thirty minutes to spare, they rushed through the metal detectors and boarded their plane. After calling Lucas to tell him when they would land, Peyton turned off her phone and rested her head against Julian's shoulder as she closed her eyes. Memories of her and Brooke flooded her mind as she prayed to God that she would be alright. She wasn't allowed to die without Peyton's blessing, she would never forgive her for it. Sniffling softly, she grabbed Julian's hand and held it tightly as she drifted off to sleep. Memories of her friends creeping their way into her dreams, as she slept through the entire flight.

* * *

 **A/N –** I'm sorry it's a little shorter than the last chapter. I promise the next one will be a longer chapter. I have family in town for Christmas so I kind of rushed to get this one finished. What are your thoughts on this chapter? What do you thinks going to happen when Julian and Lucas meet for the first time? Also, just to clarify, Lucas' book "The Ravens" does not turn into a movie in this story. Next chapter we'll see Julian and Peyton arrive in Tree Hill. Expect to see some of our other favorite characters as well. Nathan, Lucas, Jamie, and others will be making appearances. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for whatever holiday your family celebrates!


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